Unrequited
by Angeling
Summary: The convoluted story of Umeda, Akiha, Kijima and a new character. Sometimes love is...


Soulmate. In this age which coined the phrases "friends with benefits" and "fuck buddies", the word "soulmate" seemed so quaint and more than a little naïve even to his own ears. If your soulmate is in love with someone else, could he even be THE ONE? Not the mention that both of them are guys. It was almost laughable to feel that painful depth of feeling knowing full well that it was never to be requited. At least not in this lifetime.

"Senpai! Let's go home together." Akiha put on his trademark pout and grin as he chased the previous melancholic thoughts from his mind. Tugging insistently on the sleeve of Umeda's labcoat, Akiha glanced at Umeda with his best imitation of a lost puppy.

"What are you doing here again?" Whiskey-coloured eyes glared at him in response. Irritation written plainly as Umeda's eyes narrowed even further under the framed spectacles. "Don't you have photo shoots and stuff to do? Quit playing stalker. I already have a date for tonight so just go."

"Then I'll wait for you at your place. I've a couple of days before my next shoot in California and I want to spend them with you before I leave."

"Can't you take a hint? I'm not available and I'll be inviting my date for a nightcap so don't mess it up for me." Umeda shook his arm off from Akiha's grab and stormed off. His hair fluttering unkempt in the wind of his strides as he forced himself to ignore the look of pain that flickered for a shadow of a second over Akiha's face at his words.

----

Long slender fingers tapped the ash off the cigarette in two sharp flicks. Inhale... and exhale. Inhale... and exhale. The smoke filled the stagnant air due to the closed doors and windows, mingling with the faint hint of his cologne and his sweat. The only source of light was his lighter and the flash of ember of his cigarette turning to ash as he smoked. He could even hear his breathing echoing in the stillness as he inhaled the last of his newly opened Marlboro Reds.

What on earth was he doing? Why was he trying so hard to spare Akiha's feelings after all the constant grief the blonde-haired kouhai had given him all these years? Why hasn't he given up already? No one was worth that much effort. Especially not him, Umeda.

Umeda had asked himself the same question countless times as he while time away in his office pretending to have left for the day so that he could stay safely in it after hours without another surprise visit from you-know-who. Traces of those particular nights were still visible in his room as he absentmindedly rubbed the chipped corners of his favourite crystal paperweight. He was still amazed that it hadn't shattered from the countless times it had fallen. Along with most of the stationary and folders when he'd swiped them off the table to make space for Akiha. No. Umeda gave a brief shake of his head to clear his thoughts. There would be NO more repeats of those nights.

Umeda snuffed out the last cigarette with a violent twist as he stood up to leave. Enough was enough.

He needed to get drunk and get laid. The jumble in his head can wait till tomorrow. As if he hadn't spent more than enough time and effort on Akiha already. Putting on his jacket in a swift motion, Umeda ran his fingers over his reddish hair which had overgrown yet again and reminded himself that he was due for a snip as well. "Plenty of time to get that in order once that pest leaves tomorrow." he muttered to himself and left for Rink, his favoured pub for the night.

----

"Umeda-san." the bartender acknowledged Umeda with an almost indiscernible nod and served up a shot of bourbon on rocks before Umeda even pulled out his seat at the counter. Umeda smiled weary thanks and proceed to down the first of his many drinks of the night. He took a look at his watch. 12am sharp. He mentally gave himself an hour to find a prey for the night and signalled for a refill. It was a testament of his ability to hold his liquor and his attractiveness that he had never gotten drunk at any of the pubs he had frequented and never left without a "date" on his arm.

He was almost done with his fifth drink (which was pretty fast given that he had downed the first four before condensation even had a chance to dampen the coaster) when he felt a hand caress the length of his arm. Umeda looked up with a mix of flirtation and annoyance in his eyes into cerulean blue ones which were crinkling at the ends with a hint of laughter. "Picking up innocents again? They'll never satisfy you and it's not fair to leave them without explaining why their hearts will never be the same again."

"I'll give you points for the pickup line but as you've observed, I'm in the mood to break hearts tonight. And you, Kenji, unfortunately, do not fit the requirements."

"I believe you broke it and now you're refusing me because of this?" Kenji feigned ignorance at Umeda's jibe at his heartlessness and slid into the seat beside Umeda. "Give the poor bloke who will fall into your arms tonight a break. Think of it as your good deed for the day and pick me instead. Wait. That's two good deeds in total since you'll also be saving someone from my clutches." Kenji winked mischievously, a hint of challenge in the blue depths of his eyes.

"What are you doing at Rink tonight? Shouldn't you be at Kabuki-cho persuading some rich lady to part with her husband's money?" Faced with the uneasy feeling in his gut that he would be unable to avoid an inevitable situation tonight, Umeda vented his pent up frustration the way he knew best - with his sarcastic tongue.

"Nah, it won't hurt to be missed once in awhile. Afterall, absence makes the heart grow fonder. And in my case, the purse will simply open wider when they see me the next time." the current number 1 host of Kabuki-cho's Lady Jade deflected the snide with the self-assurance borne from years of being the most sought after man in a fickle industry of fleeting popularity.

Umeda snickered and pushed his spectacles up the high bridge of his nose. "It's a good thing that you're not working tonight since your charms appear to have gone on a holiday without you. Is this how you treat your customers? I'm sorry to decline but I am never desperate to the point of paying for any sexual services."

"Ah, but I'm not selling my services tonight. If you DO deem to visit Lady Jade though, you can be assured that I'll be on my best behaviour." Kenji whispered his rebuttal huskily to Umeda. His eyes darkened with a hard edge of intensity that sent butterflies fluttering their wings uneasily in the pit of Umeda's stomach. Kenji continued, "How about I pay for YOUR services tonight? Since apparently you are well versed on the qualities of what makes a good host. Shall we go?"

That Kenji had managed to flip the tables on him! Umeda turned in his seat and lounged his elbows on the counter and directed a sidelong gaze at Kenji who had got up from his seat to leave. "So how much will you be paying me? I don't come cheap, for your information."

Kenji arched his brow and moved to stand in front of Umeda, effectively boxing Umeda into his seat by laying a palm on each side of Umeda. Kenji leaned in, his mouth the barest of an inch away from Umeda, "You won't have to worry about payment. I'm good for the money and you know that's the truth. All you have to do is satisfy me and if I remember correctly your charms are well worth it."

Kenji's voice dropped an octave lower and became the hands of an invisible lover caressing Umeda's erogenous zones, causing goose bumps to trail in its wake. That voice alone was enough to justify Kenji's popularity as a top host but the package that contained it was no slouch either. Umeda forced himself to give Kenji an once-over. Slowly. His eyes moving from the top of Kenji's inky black spiked hair, to the sculptured planes of his face, down the casual suit which enhanced his lean build to the leather loafers, one of which was currently placed on the leg rest of Umeda's barstool.

"I guess you'll do for the night. It's obvious that you are trying to lay claim and no one is up to challenging you for me. I don't have a choice if I want to get laid tonight, do I?"

"It's entirely your call. I would never seek an unwilling partner to my bed no matter how hard up I am. And you know you want me. Let's get a last drink to summon your Dutch courage to admit it. " Kenji nonchalantly signaled for Umeda's glass to be filled 3 fingers high and took a gulp from it. But instead of swallowing, he tilted Umeda's head and emptied the contents into Umeda's lips which had parted from surprise at Kenji's sudden action.

Kenji's tongue immediately followed up the drink and tangled itself with Umeda's before the latter had a chance to grab a breather. Dimly, Umeda heard someone gave a little moan and he felt blood leave his head and spiral downwards to the lower region of his body.

It was obvious what the outcome of the night would be. Umeda had knew it from the instant he saw Kenji approach him at the bar counter. He closed his eyes, relaxed his body and let himself enjoy the ride.


End file.
